Disclaimer: Not mine. Belong to Dick Wolf and Co.
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Um, well, not sure. This is based on an article and pictures that appeared in the NY Daily over the weekend... so it's for an upcoming ep but have no idea what one or when it will air. So if you don't want to be spoiled - DON'T READ FURTHER!
Category: Olivia/Elliot resolved and UST
Author: Traci
Summary: Things change for the partners after the tiniest of moments.
Author's Note: As explained in the spoilers, I couldn't help myself so I had to write this after seeing the images from the upcoming ep. (please be airing for November Sweeps!) so I have no idea if any of this will occur or not. Just taking some creative liberties hehe.
It
Neither was quite sure how it happened, just that it happened. The day had started out normal enough. The case was typical but somehow... somehow things changed in one brief moment while crouched behind a car.
Detective Olivia Benson glanced across her desk at her partner, who had remained quiet since that moment and continued to busy himself with paperwork. She inwardly sighed. What had they been thinking? He was married. He had kids. She should have stopped it. She shouldn't have let him do something that would consume him with guilt. Consume them both with guilt. Yet as she looked at him her heart fluttered. She was drawn to him. With a deep sigh, she returned her attention to the computer screen and began rehearsing her transfer speech in her head.
The paper on his desk remained blank as Elliot Stabler pretended to be doing something... anything... to keep him from having to face her. He should never have allowed it to happen. It had only been a kiss but... deep down he knew it meant much more to both of them. A simple kiss. Why should he feel guilty over a kiss? It was nothing more. Kathy would never have to know. He sighed. It had been a lot more. His eyes drifted over to his partner. Why had he done that to her? She deserved better. She deserved someone who could give her everything. He was still married, not that it was much of a marriage anymore; it hadn't been for quite a few years. Even if he and Kathy did divorce, Olivia still deserved more than someone's throwaway.
"Are you two in some kind of game to see who can remain the quietest longest?" John Munch asked from his desk.
The partner's looked over at him and suddenly John went quiet. Whatever had happened between them, he realized it was not his place.
"Benson, Stabler, my office. Now!" barked Captain Cragen.
As if on a death march, they walked in and closed the door.
"Look, I don't know what is going on with you two, but work it out. You're starting to drive everyone nuts."
For the first time in hours Olivia and Elliot looked at each other.
"I need to talk to you," they both told Cragen in unison.
"Together?"
"Uh, no," Stabler mumbled. "You go first, Liv. I'll wait outside."
"Elliot."
He turned back at the sound of her voice.
Cragen looked between them. "Alright you two. I'm not going to listen to either of you until you talk to each other. Use an interrogation room or go out for lunch if you don't want to discuss it here, but work it out."
Like scolded children, they turned and left.
"Want to go to a room down the hall?" Elliot asked. "No one can hear us there."
Silently, she followed.
Elliot locked the door behind them then took a seat across the table from Olivia. "Liv, I..."
"Don't, Elliot. It was all my fault. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have put you in this situation."
He smiled. "It wasn't just you, you know."
Her chestnut eyes looked over into his blue ones and slowly a smile emerged on her lips. "True."
"What do we do about this?"
Olivia sighed and sat back in the chair. "Ignore it... like we've been doing for a long time as it is."
"Is that really what you want to do?"
"Elliot, you're married. We don't really have a choice. I will not be responsible for your marriage breaking up."
"Trust me, it would have nothing to do with you at this point," he muttered. "Do you think we will be able to ignore it? To go back to what we were before?"
She nodded. "It might not be easy on some of those late-night stakeouts, but yeah. I care about you too much to risk losing everything we have already."
He remained silent for a moment, searching her eyes. Finally, he asked, "And what if Kathy and I do get divorced?"
Taking a moment, she replied, "I don't know. If that happens then we can sit down and have another talk and see what we want."
Elliot stood up, reaching for the doorknob, when he stopped and turned to face a now-standing Olivia. "We're okay then?"
She smiled. "Yes."
Releasing the handle, he pulled Olivia to him and they held each other tight. "I'm sorry I didn't meet you sooner," he whispered.
"So am I," she whispered back then pulled away from him.
He reached up and wiped away her tears.
After a tension-filled moment, Elliot opened the door and they went back to work as usual knowing that things always had a way of working out how they were meant to.
The End